Ireland launches EU privacy probe into Google AI development

An Irish regulator helping to police European Union data privacy on Thursday launched an investigation into Google’s artificial intelligence development.

“The Data Protection Commission today announced that it has commenced a cross-border statutory inquiry into Google Ireland,” where the US tech giant has its European headquarters.

The probe will look into the “development of its foundational AI model”, the DPC added.

The “statutory inquiry concerns the question of whether Google has complied with any obligations that it may have had to undertake” under the EU’s strict General Data Protection Regulation, it added.

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This would have been “prior to engaging in the processing of the personal data” of EU citizens, a statement read.

The DPC said it was in relation to the development of Google’s foundational AI Model, Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM 2).

“A data protection impact assessment, where required, is of crucial importance in ensuring that the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals are adequately considered and protected when processing of personal data is likely to result in a high risk,” the Dublin-based regulator said.

“This statutory inquiry forms part of the wider efforts of the DPC” and other EU regulators overseeing “personal data of EU/EEA data subjects in the development of AI models and systems”.